TOTAL MOTORS DONATES $1000 TO LE MARS FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT IN HONOR OF KEITH HETTWER
(Le Mars) — In honor of Keith Hettwer, who retired last week after serving 37 years with the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department, Total Motors recently presented a check for $1,000 to the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department.
Although retired from the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department, Keith Hettwer remains employed with Total Motors of Le Mars.
Total Motors owner, Scott Taylor presented the check to Le Mars Fire and Rescue Chief Dave Schipper.
Hettwer was also on hand for the donation. Schipper says the money will be used to acquire additional equipment for the new fire truck scheduled to arrive in June.
COUNTY GOVERNING BOARD APPROVES REQUEST TO HIRE ADDITIONAL DEPUTY FOR PATROLÂ
(Le Mars) — During the Plymouth County Board of Supervisor meeting held on Tuesday, the county governing board approved the request made by Plymouth County Sheriff, Mike Van Otterloo to hire an additional deputy for patrol.
The new deputy would not start until July 1st, when the new fiscal year begins. The supervisors also set the date of March 6, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. as the time for a public hearing regarding the proposed county budget for fiscal year 2018-2019.
FARMERS GET IDEA ON WHATÂ WEATHER PATTERNS MEAN TO FUTURE CROP PRODUCTION
(Le Mars) — Weather always seems to be on the minds of farmers, and yesterday (Tuesday) farmers were able to get an idea of what weather patterns will mean to their future crop production.
Dennis Todey (Todd-ee) is the Director of the Midwest Climate Hub, a division of the U-S Department of Agriculture. He was a key-note speaker at the Crop Advantage meeting held in Le Mars and hosted by the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Todey says the weather is currently experiencing a “la nina” pattern.
Todey says while northwest Iowa may escape any major weather concerns during spring planting, some regions of the cornbelt may not be as fortunate.
The weather climatologist says Missouri, Central Illinois, and even perhaps portions of southern Iowa may be adversely affected.
Todey says he wanted to accomplish three goals with his address to farmers. First, he wanted to educate farmers as to what is the Midwest Climate Hub, and its many services.
Second, he wanted to share where are we now, and what can farmers expect during the next growing season, and third, Todey says he wanted farmers to know the weather is constantly changing.
What can farmers expect to see in terms of precipitation for the next few months?
Todey says moisture levels in the subsoil heading into spring are all over the board. He says some farmers at the Crop Advantage meeting said they believe they have adequate amounts of moisture, while other farmers, from the same region, feel they are short on subsoil moisture.
SNOW DAMAGES BRIAR CLIFF ATHLETIC DOME
Monday’s blizzard also took a toll on Briar Cliff University’s inflatable practice dome in South Sioux City.
Athletic Director Nic Nelson says the Charger Dome had to be deflated Monday night after heavy snow caused a tear in one of the corners:
Nelson says no equipment was damaged and the only things that have to be moved are light fixtures inside the dome:
The Chargers are waiting for their repairman from a Canada based dome repair company to come fix the tear:
It’s the third time in two years that heavy snow has caused a tear to the 44,000-square foot dome.
SOUTH DAKOTA LAWMAKERS MAY UNDERGO DRUG TESTING
A South Dakota Republican lawmaker wants to require all state legislators to be drug-tested.
Rep. Tim Goodwin’s bill would mandate members of the Legislature be tested within two weeks of getting sworn into office and two weeks of legislative session’s end.
Goodwin said Tuesday he wants to make sure all lawmakers are “clean.”
The move comes after the attorney general proposed legislation to impose harsher penalties for methamphetamine dealing and manufacturing.
Goodwin says if lawmakers are going to send people to prison for a “long period of time, we should all be clean ourself.”
The bill says a positive test or a refusal to take one must be reported to the presiding officer of the lawmaker’s chamber for discipline.
DES MOINES MAN DIES YEARS AFTER ATTACK DURING CAR THEFT
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A man who was severely injured when three Des Moines teenagers stole his car in 2013 has died.
Joan Namachemo told The Des Moines Register that her husband, 41-year-old Mike Wasike, died Monday after years spent in care centers.
Wasike was driving home in February 2013 when the teens stood in the middle of a street, forcing him to stop. As Wasike got out of his car, one of the teens struck him in the head with a handgun before stealing the vehicle. The injury left Wasike unable to speak, feed himself or walk.
